The Rifles Are Loading Up for Their Next Album, Freedom Run

Freedom Run is preceded by strong single, "Tangled Up In Love"

The birthing grounds of the UK are rich with musical
talents, especially those related to rock. The British Invasion blasted the US with an unprecedented
wave of bands and artists, many of whom are revered as classic giants to this day.
UK bands have ruled the rock airwaves, turntables, and fan appreciation over
decades. There’s no need for a list; you
know who they are.

The Rifles is a London-based band that clearly takes their cues
from two important groups who were also from the UK: The Clash, and The
Jam. While I don’t really like comparing
bands, largely because I like bands to stand on their own two feet,
sometimes the comparisons are unavoidable.
With The Rifles, the influences are there, worn like a flag. But that’s okay, for the Rifles, it’s likely a badge of
respect, and one that should be worn proudly.
In fact, the Rifles are a damn fine band and do stand on their own two
feet. This is why you should know about
them.

The Rifles are four lads with two previous albums under
their belts, No Love Lost (2006),
and Great Escape (2009), and both entered high in the UK charts, #26 and #27
respectively. That’s pretty impressive for a rock band, especially one that the US is completely unaware of.

No Love Lost delivered five tidy singles over a strong
16-month period with the first single, “Peace & Quiet” being reissued to capitalize
further on the band’s increasing popularity.
The five songs aside, the album’s deeper cuts were not to be shied away
from. “One Night Stand” carries a strong
Clash influence, yet still retaining The Rifles originality. The entire album is easily accessible and can
become a favorite if you’re just coming on board.

Their next album, Great Escape, was released with
much anticipation by UK fans. This album
yielded three singles, and like the album before it, was also home to excellent
deeper cuts. Great Escape was a grand
successor to the set of songs preceding it, easily shoving aside the “sophomore
slump.” Truth is, there’s not a bad song
on it, not one.

The UK is ready for the next album from The Rifles, now
slated for release on September 19 (UK).
The new album is entitled Freedom Run, and is preceded by a track from
the album, “Tangled Up In Love,” available now in the UK and August 16 in the
US. While the UK is the starting point
for the new album, the US release is expected to follow on October 11. You can listen to it on SoundCloud.

If you’re a collector at heart, and you find that The Rifles
are a band to follow, then you should seek out their two non-album songs, “Talking,”
which was offered as a free download, and “I Could Never Lie,” issued as a
limited edition vinyl single. Both songs
preceded the release of Great Escape. “I
Could Never Lie” can also be found on the downloadable 4-track Great Escape EP,
which collects two other non-album tracks, “Darling Girl,” and “A Love To Die
For,” as well a,s the title track from the album.

Matt Rowe began his life with an AM radio, listening to anything that was considered music. Since, he has labored intently to build a collection of music, paring it down, rebuilding, and refining as he sees fit. His decided goal is to keep up with new music by panning for the nuggets among literal mountains…